Life Lessons - Phyllis Qualls Freeman

"On that day tell your son, “I do this because of what the Lord did for me." Exodus 13:8 NIV

Our daughter and son-in-law had their children in their mid-thirties, while David was working hard toward his doctorate degree. I have great appreciation for the way David communicates with his teenage children.

Once he called his daughter and son into the house to watch an Olympic event re-run. He wanted the children to observe the event and the demeanor of the participants.

One of the contestants thought she was going to win and gave a superb performance on the ski slope, until she turned to look at the other contestants with a proud smile. She fell shortly before the finish line.

David asked his children, “What is the life-lesson here?” The teens discussed with their father that you haven’t won until you’ve won—don’t accept victory until you complete the task.

The Israelites commemorated yearly, the event of leaving Egypt. God instructs his people in today’s Scripture to tell their sons, “The Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.” God wanted the children to hear first-hand of the miracles, signs and wonders he performed for the Israelites.

William, at fifteen, is rather shy, but has a wonderful ability to memorize scripture. David coaches a Bible Quiz Team and encouraged William to participate. When they won the state competition, we rejoiced that it was more than winning. David taught the team life-lessons and shared spiritual truths from the Bible as they studied.

Beth loves music. At four she could recite the stanzas to several songs while she shook her pom-poms in time with the music. At thirteen, she plays the clarinet. Her parents urge her to attend music camps. Both children plan to participate in mission ventures with their church teen group this summer.

God offers us life-lessons as well. He speaks them to us through His Word and His love. Parents, what life-lessons are you passing on to the next generation? Do your children hear what great things God has done for you, so they will believe he will do it for them also?

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over two hundred fifty published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com

Read Phyllis's devotions.

Leftovers - Phyllis Qualls Freeman

“Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” John 6:12 NIV

Lord, I am so tired of these troubles. Our life has been upside-down for several years. Bill lost his job after back surgery…our medical insurance ran out for over two years. God, you know it all. When will it end? Please, let’s get to the good stuff. We need Your blessings again.

When I heard God whisper to my spirit, Nothing’s wasted, the statement halted my complaining.

Jesus fed five thousand men with five small barley loaves and two small fish. Each of the twelve disciples gathered a basket of remnants—the makings of fish sandwiches. Jesus didn’t believe in wasting anything. The Bible does not say whether or not he sent the disciples back to the city to pass out the food to the needy or kept the meal for supper, but the extra was surely used wisely.

When God nudged me that our personal hardships were not wasted, I was surprised. I imagined I could have been so much more productive for the kingdom of God if I could be stronger and have less problems or distractions. I’m one of those A-types and like to produce visible results—even in God’s work.

Then I remembered my extended hospital stay for complications after surgery. We called our church prayer chain for intercession. Two days later my nurse indicated she had expected I would have a second surgery, but she suggested the meds must have helped. I told her our church prayed. That conversation led to an admission that she had given up on prayer. Before I was discharged, she asked if we might meet outside the hospital to talk about prayer, and we did several times. Hmmm…that hospital stay sure wasn’t wasted. Kathy re-committed her life to the Lord.

I recalled opportunities for sharing our experiences when God was faithful to provide, strengthen, and encourage us. I acknowledged that God took what I thought was useless and gave it meaning. We “gathered the pieces that were left over” and let God help us turn them into great leftovers.

What seemingly wasted part of your life could you gather up and offer to God so he can make use of it?

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over two hundred fifty published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com

Teach Me the Way - Phyllis Qualls Freeman

“He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel.” Psalm 103:7 NIV

Someone said, “When a young man dates a young lady, he only knows her deeds.” She makes his favorite chocolate coconut cake. She readily agrees to have dinner at Olive Garden, even if she prefers a Chinese buffet. She’s ready when he picks her up for a picnic. She smiles prettily every day.

But when the young man marries her, then he learns her ways. That may include making the chocolate coconut cake only when she is in the mood to do it. She may have her own taste in restaurants and tells him so. She may smile only to get what she wants.

What happened? Did she really change, or was she seen for her deeds instead of who she is?

Scripture tells us God portrayed his deeds to Israel while they were in Egypt. The multitude of frogs, the dust turning into gnats, and the dense swarms of flies, were miracles God allowed the Israelites to witness.

However, Moses got to know God’s ways. He met with God, heard his voice, and listened to God’s instructions for forty days. He learned far more than about God’s deeds. He came to understand why God did what He did. He began to feel the heartbeat of God as he came into relationship.

No one knows my husband’s ways better than me. We’ve been together fifty years. I’ve observed what he does, but I’ve also learned about the reasoning behind his acts. I know his heart because we’ve been through the good, the bad, and the ugly together. Our relationship is deep. I love knowing the man, not just the deeds.

Would you rather see miracles and become excited about what God does, or do you long to sit before him, meditate on his Word, bask in the warmth of His presence?

The more you come to know who God is, the more fully you’ll know his ways. Moses entreated the Lord, “Teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.”

Ask God to teach you how He is working in your life—to teach you his ways? He patiently waits.

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over two hundred fifty published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com

Darkness - Phyllis Qualls Freeman

“He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” Daniel 2:22 NIV

My older sister took pleasure in jumping out from the small dark hallway near our bathroom to scare me. She loved my reaction, screams and anger. She laughed with glee. For years, I was afraid of dark places (I wonder why).

As I matured, I elicited my reasoning powers to overcome my fears, “The noises coming from the basement are just furnace clinks. No one could be down there.” But I’d make myself go down the stairs and turn on all the lights to be sure.

Daniel knew a God who was willing to bring revelation and light to dreams, questions, and things in darkness. God revealed hidden things.

Sometimes we experience personal dark days. My husband, Bill, and I went through six years of darkness while we experienced five major surgeries between us. He lost his job, medical insurance, and his self esteem. We felt like someone had snuffed out the light in our lives. Bill experienced depression and pain.

We searched for answers to our frustrating questions. We prayed and waited for the light to break through again. Nothing happened. Nothing changed.

During this time, I made a renewed commitment to prayer, setting my alarm an hour earlier to spend time with the Lord before work. After a year of praying the names of God and their meaning; such as Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord will provide), or singing God’s praises, I sensed a renewal in my spirit. Nothing changed in our natural world. Bill still experienced pain, he still required treatment at times for his bone disease but, we felt a powerful sense of peace and courage to walk through that dark place.

Even though we couldn’t see our future clearly, God could. “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”

What kind of shadow has come over your life? Read God’s Word and pray until you can see more clearly. Ask God to shine his light on your problem today.

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over two hundred fifty published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com

God at Work - Phyllis Qualls Freeman

“Jesus said to them, My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” John 5:17 NIV

Jesus came to die, but first he came to share his message. His message was, God is love and is at work to bring man back into fellowship with him.

The man at the Pool of Bethesda was an invalid for thirty-eight years. When the Jews complained that Jesus healed him on the Sabbath, His response to them was “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”

While the Jews were looking at the letter of the law, Jesus spoke about compassion toward their fellow man. He went on to do whatever he saw his Father do.

Have you ever become discouraged as you prayed for a child or loved one and things just seemed to get worse—their life not going in the direction you hoped and prayed that it would? We can become frustrated with our praying and even with God because we don’t get the answers we want.

Just because we don’t have an answer, doesn’t mean God isn’t working toward an answer. God is working in, around, and even through the one who we lift before Him.

Perhaps we need a different perspective. When you feel you have prayed the will of God, ask God to allow you to notice the ways in which he is working.

Our family prayed for my dad’s salvation for years, and we began to see small changes in him before he accepted Christ. We didn’t know what to make of the 3 x 5” oval framed pictures of Jesus he purchased at an auction and placed in his home. We should have jumped up and down, but we didn’t mention it to other family members until after his death. We missed an opportunity to praise God for any sign that Dad was thinking on spiritual things.

Open your eyes and observe. Can you see anything God is doing? Begin to praise Him that He is at work in the situation. Keep praying, but also keep watching. You will see good things.

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over two hundred fifty published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com

Jumper Cables - Phyllis Qualls Freeman

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV

Okay God, attach your jumper cables. Red to my mind and green to my spirit. A friend asked me a question, and I don’t know the answer. Help me, quick! I need a jump-start.

Vicki had asked about giving. But it was more than just about giving. She’d asked about something she’d heard on television regarding giving.

“Someone on a television ministry mentioned that several people gave certain amounts of money,” Vickie said, “and God provided so that each of the givers got out of debt. Larry and I want to be debt-free. Should I give to that ministry?”

Lord, I want to be careful how I answer. I don’t want to cause her to think critically of any ministry. Neither do I want her to misunderstand the act of Christian giving.

After a few meditative moments, I asked, “If you give money to a cause so you can be debt-free, what would be your motive for giving? Would you say that you gave for the purpose of getting?”

She seemed surprised that I answered her with a question. Vicki hesitated, “I guess you would have to say that was the motive.”

“You know,” I began, “I would feel better if I gave with no personal agenda in mind.”

“I felt uncomfortable about it,” she said, “but I didn’t know why.”

Corinthians mentions how we should and shouldn’t give. The writer uses one adverb (reluctantly), and one noun (compulsion) to indicate how we should not give. Then one adjective (cheerful) shows the proper attitude for giving.

If I assess my motive for giving to any ministry, that helps me decide if I should give or not. When I contribute, knowing my offering is surrendered for blessing the Lord and His work, then my giving becomes an act of worship.

Did you ever stop to consider why you put your money in the offering plate at church? Are you reluctant? Do you drop it in with an invisible string attached, imagining you could pull it out? Or is your gift offered from a generous and caring heart? Think about your motive. You may find the joy of giving is a sufficient reward.

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over two hundred fifty published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. http://www.blogger.com/Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com

Rent-to-Own? It’s all His! - Phyllis Qualls Freeman

“A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.”
Leviticus 27:30

Dad fussed and fumed as he slipped off his work shoes. He had the habit of taking his shoes off and padding about the house in his stocking feet. That night Dad sat at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee, recounting the trouble he’d experienced with his rental property. For the third time that year a family of renters had just moved out.

“They left the house dirty. Those old green garbage cans were overflowing, and junk was scattered around the stupid yard,” he told Mother. “I’ve spent all afternoon cleaning so I can rent it again.” Why couldn't he keep renters?

In Dad’s second property, the renters seemed to stay put. Mother managed that property and when Dad questioned Mother about what she did different from the way he managed his charge, he was surprised.

“Irvin, I tithe on the profits from my rental,” she said.

Dad mumbled as he rubbed his chin and pondered her unexpected statement. He was not quick to change his ways, but he’d think on it.

Leviticus calls us to tithe on everything, not just our weekly paycheck. That tenth of any profitable thing already belongs to God. The tithe is hallowed and not to be considered lightly. Giving is an act of our worship and obedience.

Mother believed in God’s blessings on obedience. She’d learned early in her Christian life to tithe. Even though Dad was not a believer, he noticed that whatever Mother did seemed to be blessed, including the home she managed for him. He finally figured she had favor with God as she tithed.

When Dad purchased a third rental, he said, “Eva, you can tithe on the profit from this house too, if you’d like.”

Because I heard my mother speak of the joys of tithing, I never felt that it was a debt I owed, nor a burden to slip that check or money into an envelope and drop it into the offering plate. Tithing and giving offerings are joyful privileges. My gift to God.

Have you thought about the tithe as something holy, a sacred or blessed offering? God has given us an abundance of blessings. Isn’t it time you give back and say “Thanks” to Him?

Phyllis Qualls Freeman has over two hundred fifty published devotionals, human interest, and other articles. She is working on her first book. Phyllis loves reaching out to touch those who have long-term, life-altering situations, to share God’s love. Married to her college sweetheart for fifty years, they have three children and five grandchildren. Pqfreeman40@yahoo.com